France, Italy, Germany, Portugal all chipped away at the measures, designed to pile pressure on Russia
EU capitals have agreed to a significantly weakened package of sanctions against Russia, ending long negotiations in which several countries sought exemptions to protect national interests.
EU ambassadors signed off on the bloc’s 21st sanctions package on Thursday morning, breaking a deadlock that had dragged on since the Commission unveiled its proposal on 9 June.
Talks stretched into the final hours, with Greece emerging as the last holdout as it sought exemptions for its shipping industry.
Athens demanded an exemption allowing companies, including Greek LNG shipper Dynagas, to continue transporting Russian liquefied natural gas to non-EU countries.
